Apart from the rather gloomy weather, conditions were near-perfect with a south south-westerly wind backing to southerly straight down the lake. Towards the end of the 12 race event the wind was much steadier from the south with a very good breeze, which allowed some exciting planing and even broaching on the runs. As you can see from the results, Barrie Martin was again master of the conditions with 6 first places and it was good to see Alan Viney come back after quite a break and getting 3 firsts to finish in 3rd place. Simon Johnson got 2 and sailed very well into 2nd place.
With the recent heavy rain the water level at Abbey Meads Lake has risen again, so that it just covered the Environment Agency measurement post near the southern steps. Indeed all but the top step was covered with water as can be seen from the photo of Barrie launching his boat. I cannot imagine how the proposed River Thames Scheme to reduce flood levels is going to succeed when the ground levels at this downriver end of the Proposed Channel end up in already saturated ground resulting in these high ‘tide’ levels on our lake. However that is not our problem!
With the distribution of Roger’s Mini Bowsies at lunchtime, there was a discussion about items of rigging and setting of sails and a question of whether the additional line fore & aft line to the mainsheet line bridle ring was a requirement of the rules, in addition to the 2 main sideways parts of the bridle. I have checked with the latest class rules, current from 1 January 2024 and the latest V2 Rigging Instruction Manual (RIM) for putting the boat together. Only in the latest RIM is this third line and bowsie shown in only a couple of places in the images or in the words covering the bridle. So it would appear that they are not a requirement and you should not be protested for either not having one or having one. Why this is important to me is that it affects the number RMBs needed to make a set for one boat. I have just had a discussion with Alan, who had just fitted his and believes that RMBs would be good to have 2 more of, to go at the front of the jib boom to adjust the height of the boom of the deck and the tension on the luff of the jib, which would be easier to adjust than the rather cumbersome bowsies. Lighter and less windage too!
On the question of the mainsail and how to best rig it, this is not simple because each manufacturer has its own design for that sail & it’s luff curve and what one expert dictates may be relative to the luff curve of just one manufacturer. To give you an example of how the shape of the mainsail may be varied by the manufacturer I attach a markup in blue of the diagram on the inside back cover of the class rules. This is of course an exaggeration, but it is the manufacturers’ special luff curve rather than a one design sail, so there may be more than one answer to get the best shape for YOUR sail.
Going back to the rules question I carefully studied the current Class Rules and the Rigging instruction Manual. If in my recently renewed accreditation as an MYA Official Measurer, I was asked to be an Equipment Inspector for an event and was faced with this question at a hearing, I put together the considerations that would need to be addressed to answer that question of whether these lines are required by the Class Rules. I have already mentioned the decision that I have come to above, that they are not required. This is a separate attached document in which you may not be interested, but might help in the future if you are asked to fit one of these unnecessary fittings.
I find the rules very sloppy and inconsistent and not helpful to the newcomer. Also because the attachment point of the mainsheet to the boom can be adjusted directly over the bridle it is not actually needed and goes against A5 Spirit of the Rules “…. and the cost of buying and maintaining the boat is kept under control to appeal to newcomers …”
